Article of Footwear Having Increased Torsional Stiffness

Abstract

A shoe comprising a sole, an upper secured to the sole, and a welt. The welt comprises at least one piece separate from the sole and upper. The welt is adjacent both the sole and the upper and is secured to at least one of the sole and the upper. The sole is a 3-D printed sole comprising a plurality of interconnected cells. Each cell of the plurality of interconnected cells is connected to at least one adjacent cell of the plurality of interconnected cells. The shoe has a torsional stiffness at least 100% greater than the torsional stiffness of a first comparison shoe. The first comparison shoe is identical to the shoe except the first comparison shoe is devoid of a welt. The torsional stiffness is a torque sufficient to rotate the heel-widest portion ten degrees (10°) from an un-torqued condition as the ball-widest portion is held stationary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole;   an upper secured to the sole; and   a welt;   the welt comprising at least one piece separate from the sole and separate from the upper, the welt being adjacent both the sole and the upper and being secured to at least one of the sole and the upper;   the sole having a sole heel end and a sole toe end, the sole extending along a shoe axis from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole having a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, a sole ball region, a sole metatarsal region, and a sole toe region, the sole heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region, the sole midfoot region extending longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region, the sole forefoot region extending longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole ball region, the sole ball region extending longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole metatarsal region, the sole metatarsal region extending longitudinally from the sole ball region to the sole toe region, the sole toe region extending longitudinally from the sole metatarsal region to the sole toe end, the sole having a lateral side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region and a medial side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region, the sole extending transversely from the lateral side to the medial side, the sole heel region having a lateral heel portion and a medial heel portion, the sole midfoot region having a lateral midfoot portion and a medial midfoot portion, the sole forefoot region having a lateral forefoot portion and a medial forefoot portion, the sole ball region having a lateral ball portion and a medial ball portion, the sole metatarsal region having a lateral metatarsal portion and a medial metatarsal portion, the sole toe region having a lateral toe portion and a medial toe portion, the sole having a heel-widest portion, the heel-widest portion being the portion of the sole having the greatest width in the sole heel region from the medial side to the lateral side, the sole having a ball-widest portion, the ball-widest portion being the portion of the sole having the greatest width in the sole ball region from the medial side of the sole to the lateral side of the sole;   the sole being a 3-D printed sole comprising a plurality of interconnected cells, each cell of the plurality of interconnected cells being connected to at least one adjacent cell of the plurality of interconnected cells, the sole having a sole top surface and a sole bottom surface, the sole having a periphery extending between the sole top surface and the sole bottom surface; and   wherein said shoe has a torsional stiffness, the torsional stiffness of said shoe being at least 100% greater than the torsional stiffness of a first comparison shoe, the first comparison shoe being identical to said shoe except the first comparison shoe is devoid of a welt, the torsional stiffness being a torque sufficient to rotate the heel-widest portion ten degrees) ( 10 ° from an un-torqued condition as the ball-widest portion is held stationary.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the welt constitutes a single, one-piece member. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the upper comprises an upper heel region, an upper midfoot region, an upper forefoot region, an upper ball region, an upper metatarsal region, and an upper toe region, the sole and upper defining a seam, the seam having a seam heel region adjacent both the upper heel region and the sole heel region, a seam midfoot region adjacent both the upper midfoot region and the sole midfoot region, a seam forefoot region adjacent both the upper forefoot region and the sole forefoot region, a seam ball region adjacent both the upper ball region and the sole ball region, a seam metatarsal region adjacent both the upper metatarsal region and the sole metatarsal region, and a sole toe region adjacent both the upper toe region and the sole toe region; and
 wherein the welt extends along and covers the seam heel region, the seam midfoot region, the seam forefoot region, the seam ball region, the seam metatarsal region, and the seam toe region. 
 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt is secured to both the sole and the upper. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt is bonded to the sole using an adhesive. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt comprises leather. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt comprises ethylene-vinyl-acetate. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt comprises thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt includes a plurality of welt slits. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 3  wherein the welt is a storm welt. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 1  further comprising a heel clip, the heel clip comprising at least one piece separate from the sole, separate from the upper, and separate from the welt, the heel clip being secured to at least one of the sole and the upper in at least the sole heel region. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 150% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 200% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 250% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 1  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 300% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         17 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole;   an upper secured to the sole;   a welt; and   a heel clip;   the welt comprising at least one piece separate from the sole and separate from the upper, the welt being adjacent both the sole and the upper and being secured to at least one of the sole and the upper;   the heel clip comprising at least one piece separate from the sole, separate from the upper, and separate from the welt, the heel clip being secured to at least one of the sole and the upper in at least the sole heel region;   the sole having a sole heel end and a sole toe end, the sole extending along a shoe axis from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole having a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, a sole ball region, a sole metatarsal region, and a sole toe region, the sole heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region, the sole midfoot region extending longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region, the sole forefoot region extending longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole ball region, the sole ball region extending longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole metatarsal region, the sole metatarsal region extending longitudinally from the sole ball region to the sole toe region, the sole toe region extending longitudinally from the sole metatarsal region to the sole toe end, the sole having a lateral side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region and a medial side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region, the sole extending transversely from the lateral side to the medial side, the sole heel region having a lateral heel portion and a medial heel portion, the sole midfoot region having a lateral midfoot portion and a medial midfoot portion, the sole forefoot region having a lateral forefoot portion and a medial forefoot portion, the sole ball region having a lateral ball portion and a medial ball portion, the sole metatarsal region having a lateral metatarsal portion and a medial metatarsal portion, the sole toe region having a lateral toe portion and a medial toe portion, the sole having a heel-widest portion, the heel-widest portion being the portion of the sole having the greatest width in the sole heel region from the medial side to the lateral side, the sole having a ball-widest portion, the ball-widest portion being the portion of the sole having the greatest width in the sole ball region from the medial side of the sole to the lateral side of the sole;   the sole being a 3-D printed sole comprising a plurality of interconnected cells, each cell of the plurality of interconnected cells being connected to at least one adjacent cell of the plurality of interconnected cells, the sole having a sole top surface and a sole bottom surface, the sole having a periphery extending between the sole top surface and the sole bottom surface; and   wherein said shoe has a torsional stiffness, the torsional stiffness of said shoe being at least 100% greater than the torsional stiffness of a second comparison shoe, the second comparison shoe being identical to said shoe except the second comparison shoe is devoid of a welt and devoid of a heel clip, the torsional stiffness being a torque sufficient to rotate the heel-widest portion, about the shoe axis, ten degrees (10°) from an un-torqued condition as the ball-widest portion is held stationary.   
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 17  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 150% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 17  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 200% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 17  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 250% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         21 . The shoe of  claim 17  wherein the torsional stiffness of said shoe is at least 300% greater than the torsional stiffness of said comparison shoe. 
     
     
         22 . The shoe of  claim 17  wherein the sole comprises a midsole and an outsole, the midsole being 3-D printed and comprising a plurality of interconnected cells, the outsole being connected to the midsole. 
     
     
         23 . The claim of  claim 22  wherein the outsole comprises rubber. 
     
     
         24 . A shoe comprising:
 a sole;   an upper secured to the sole;   the sole having a sole heel end and a sole toe end, the sole extending along a shoe axis from the sole heel end to the sole toe end, the sole having a sole heel region, a sole midfoot region, a sole forefoot region, a sole ball region, a sole metatarsal region, and a sole toe region, the sole heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the sole midfoot region, the sole midfoot region extending longitudinally from the sole heel region to the sole forefoot region, the sole forefoot region extending longitudinally from the sole midfoot region to the sole ball region, the sole ball region extending longitudinally from the sole forefoot region to the sole metatarsal region, the sole metatarsal region extending longitudinally from the sole ball region to the sole toe region, the sole toe region extending longitudinally from the sole metatarsal region to the sole toe end, the sole having a lateral side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region and a medial side extending from the sole heel region to the sole toe region, the sole extending transversely from the lateral side to the medial side, the sole heel region having a lateral heel portion and a medial heel portion, the sole midfoot region having a lateral midfoot portion and a medial midfoot portion, the sole forefoot region having a lateral forefoot portion and a medial forefoot portion, the sole ball region having a lateral ball portion and a medial ball portion, the sole metatarsal region having a lateral metatarsal portion and a medial metatarsal portion, the sole toe region having a lateral toe portion and a medial toe portion;   the sole comprising a midsole and an outsole, the midsole having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being a 3-D printed portion comprising a plurality of interconnected cells, each cell of the plurality of interconnected cells being connected to at least one adjacent cell of the plurality of interconnected cells, the second portion being of a molded construction.   
     
     
         25 . The shoe of  claim 24  wherein the first portion is within the sole heel region and wherein the second portion is within one or more of: the sole midfoot region, the sole forefoot region, the sole ball region, the sole metatarsal region, and the sole toe region.